Ammunition feeder



Oct. 3, 1950 w. E. NAUGLER ET AL AMMUNITION FEEDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. '7, 1946 1950 w. E. NAUGLER ETAL 2,524,132

AMMUNITION FEEDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1946 r mi m2 nN EW vrw w. E. NAUGLERzETAL 2,524,132

Oct. 3, 1950 AMMUNITION FEEDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 7, 1946 frwenfars VVaZzerE/Vaugler Oct. 3, 1950 w. E. NAUGLER ETAL 2,524,132

AMMUNITION FEEDER Filed Feb. 7, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 338 7 /330 WcZZzerENaugZer 1950 w. E. NAUGLER' ET AL 2,524,132

AMMUNITION FEEDER Filed Feb. '7, 1946 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 fnvenfors I WczZzerEA/augler 3/0 300 2.96 Ernes 2 W Sfaceg/ Patented Oct. 3, 1950 AMMUNITION FEEDER Walter E. Naugler and ErnestW. Stacey, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery'Corporation, Flemingto'n, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application February 7, 1946, Serial No. 646,174

Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance and is illustrated as embodied in a feeder for automatically supplying clips of cartridges to a feed box of a 3'7 mm. gun.

In order to insure that a 37 mm. gun mounted in an airplane, for example, may be fired in short bursts at its maximum rate, it is highly desirable that an automatic ammunition feeder be provided. Such a feeder for use in an upper pressurized turret of an airplane is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,494,728, granted J anuary 17, 1950 or an application filed in the names of Ernest W. Stacey and Frank W. Reinhold. Because of the limited space available and various other considerations it is often impracticable to use the same feeders in corresponding turrets of different airplanes or in different turrets of the same airplane.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved feeder for automatically supplying clips of cartridges in a 3'7 mm. gun mounted, for example, in a. lower turret of an airplane. The illustrative feeder, in accordance with a feature of the present invention, comprises two pairs of endless chains which are operated in timed relation and oppositely arranged sections of which are movable in arcuate paths, channeled bars carried by one pair of said chains, said barsbeing constructed and arranged to engage opposite sides of the rims of cases of cartridges assembled in clips, rods carried by the other pair of chains, said rods being constructed and arranged to enga e opposite sides of projectiles of cartridges assembled in said clips, spring-energized means for intermittently moving or indexing said pairsof' chains in said arcuate paths to deliver the clips of cartridges successively to a transfer station arranged adjacent to a feed box of a gun, a driver, and mears comprising a member responsive to movement of the clips of cartridges to the transfer station for causing said driver to force said clips of cartridges from said bars and rods into the feed box.

The driver comprises a lever which is mounted for pivotal movement and has pivotally connected to it arms constructed and arranged to engage said clip of cartridges at the transfer station, a relatively weak spring being provided for constantly urging the driver to a retracted position in which it is retained until released by a latch. When the driver has been released, a relatively powerful coil spring causes the driverv to feed clips of cartridges at the transfer station into the feed box, means responsive to movement of the driver being provided for causing said spring to become, in effect, part of; the driver during retractive movement of the driver, and for causing the spring to be energized, after the driver has been retracted, to feed the next clipof cartridges into the feed box after the latch,

which is responsive to movement of a clip of cartridges to the transfer station, has been released.

The illustrative feeder also comprises means for guiding the clips in which the cartridges are assembled, into the feed box, said means including a guide which is fixed to the feed box and is constructed and arranged to receive said clips, and a pivotally mounted ramp which is construct ed and arranged to be deflected by the clips as they are moved toward the guide in order to facilitate moving said clips into the guide.

The illustrative feeder is also provided with mechanism for filling the magazine with clips of cartridges, said clips of cartridges being suppliedmanually to the transfer station, which at such time serves as a loading station.- Mechanism also provided for operating the pairs of'chains and the ammunition supporting bars and rods carried thereby in reverse direotionsagainst the action of the above-mentioned spring-energized means to move the clips of cartridges presented. to the feeder at the loading station, into stacked relation in the magazine. In order toassist in feeding the clips of cartridges to the channeled bars and rods carried by the pairs of chains, respectively, there is provided a movable member constructed and arranged to position the clips of' cartridges and to facilitate presentation of said clips to the various clip supporting bars and rods of the chains properly indexed to receive said clips.

The various features of the invention will be" understood and appreciated from the following detailed description read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are views showing the opposite sides, respectively, of the illustrative ammunition feeder. portions of which have been broken away;

Fig. 3 is a View on line III.-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the feeder;

Fig. 5 is a view on line VV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a. view showing in detail mechanism for positioning the feeder with relation to a feed box of a gun;

Fig. '7 is a view partly on line VII-VII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a. view partly on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 4;

Figs. 9 and 10 are views on line V-V of Fig. 3, illustrating loading mechanism of the feeder dur-..

3 ing two different stages of the filling of the magazine of the feeder with clips of cartridges: and.

Fig. 11 is a section on line XlXI of Fig. 6.

The illustrative feeder is described with reference to supplying clips 39 (Figs. 1, 3, 5, '7, 9 and 10) of cartridges 32 to a feed box 3% (Figs. 2, 3 and '7) of a 37 mm. gun 36 such as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,525,065, granted February 3, 1925, on an application filed in the name of John M. Browning, and comprises arcuate web side plates 38 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4), ii? (Figs. 2, 3 and c) which are bolted to a base 42 and are joined together by tie-rods. The side plates 38, ii? and the base 42 together form a housing or magazine 1?. in which the clip 38 of cartridges 32 are stacked in radial arrangement.

In order to position the ammunition feeder with relation to the feed box a; of the gun 35, said box has extending from its left side, as viewed from the front of the four studs 4? (Figs. 3 and 6) which fit in holes 55 (Fig. 6) respectively of a plate 48 (Figs. 3, 6, 7 and 11) and have notches 50 (Fig. 6) formed in them. The plate 48 is secured to the feed box 35 by a pair of clamp 52 (Figs. 3 and 6) which are supported for vertical sliding movement upon studs 53 secured to the plate and which engage the outside face of the plate and fit in the notches 53 of the studs 44, each of the clamps being held in its raised looking position by a spring-pressed lever 54 (Figs. 3 and 6) which engages a shoulder 55 (Fig. 6) of the plate and prevents the clamp from moving out of its locking position in the notches.

Formed integral with and extending laterally from the plate 38 are a pair of flanges 53 (Figs. 3 and 6) having bores 55 for receiving screws 62 (Fig. 3) extending through vertical bores in bosses 53 at the lower end of the side plate 40, said bosses resting upon the flanges and being properly positioned thereon by said screws. It will be understood that the above mechanism is merely for the purpose of locating the ammunition feeder with relation to the feed box 34, the base 42 of the machine, after being properly positioned, being supported in such position by a plurality of screws 54 (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted upon a bearing 66 to which the receiver of the gun 36 is secured. As will appear later, the plate 58 has formed in it an ammunition receiving opening 68 (Figs. 3, 6, 7 and 11) and has secured to it an ammunition guide l5 and a cartridge guide rail II (Figs. 3 and 6). The illustrative machine, if desirable, may be advantageously incorporated in a lower pressurized turret of an airplane.

The cartridge assembling clips, which are best shown in Fig. 7, comprise a plurality of flat plates 14 to which are secured yokes I5 (Figs. 5, '7, 9 and hinged through pins I8 (Fig. 7) to the yokes of adjacent plates, the yokes having secured to them spring clasps B5 constructed and arranged to receive the cartridges and to retain them in assembled relation. Formed in each of the plates Id and the yokes I6 is a hole 82 (Fig. '7) for receiving a pawl B t of a slide 85 forming part of the feed mechanism of the gun. As will be hereinafter explained, clips 38 of cartridges 32 are fed successively to a transfer station 88 (Figs. 1-, 3, 5 and 9) arranged adjacent to the cartridge receiving opening 68 of the plate 38, which opening is in alinement with a cartridge receiving opening 90 (Fig. 7) in the side of the feed box 3 5 of the gun 35, and are pushed into said feed box by a spring-energized yoke-shaped driver or lever 92 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 8) which is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 94 rotatably supported in bosses 96 of the side plate 38 of the housing I2, the lower ends of vertically arranged bifurcations of the driver 92 being pivotally connected to a pair of arms 98 (Figs. 3 and 4) having at their inner ends arcuate cartridge engaging portions I00 (Figs. 1 and 4). The arms 98 are constantly urged into contact with stop shoulders I02 of the driver 92 by springs I6 the opposite ends of which are attached to studs on said bifurcations and arms respectively.

Each clip of cartridges 32 is supported in the housing I2 by a pair of channeled bars I05, I08 (Figs. 4, 5, 9 and 10) which are secured to,successive side links of outer endless chains H0, and a pair of rods I12 opposite ends of which are secured to lugs i I6 forming parts of side links of pairs of endless chains IIES. As best shown in Fig. 5, the cartridges 32 are supported by the bars I06, I08 and the rods IIZ with lips IIS (Figs. 5. 9 and 10) of the cases I of the cartridges resting in opposed channels I22, I22a of the bars I55, I98, respectively, and the opposite sides of the projectiles I24 of the cartridges engaging the rods II2.

The outer endless chain H0 pass over idler sprockets I25 (Figs. 1 to 1) mounted upon stub shafts I28 supported by the side plates 38, of the magazine or housing I2, override arcuate surface I35 of the side plates, and, on their inner stretch, move into U-shaped grooves I32 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) formed in guides I35 secured by screws to the side plates. The endless chains IIG also pass over a pair of sprockets I36 (Figs. 1 to e) which are rotatably mounted upon bellcrank levers I38 fulcrumed upon a tie-rod I49, the levers I38 being angularly adjustable on said rods to tension the endless chains by turning screws I42. In order to drive the outer chains I I5 there is provided a pair of sprockets M l (Figs. 1, 4, 5, 9 and 10) secured to the opposite ends of a drive shaft Hi6 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) which is rotatably mounted in bearings of the side plates 38, of the housing I2 and has secured to its central portion a gear I (Figs. 2 and 1) operatively connected through idler gears I52, rotatably mounted in a cross frame I53 (Fig. 4) secured to the side plates, with a gear I54 secured to a drive shaft I56 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) rotatably mounted in bearings supported by said side plates.

In order that the oppositely arranged chains III] shall be effectively tied together over a section where the bars I05, I88 have been discontinued, there are provided tie-bars I58 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) which are secured to projecting flanges I60 of associated side links of the chains. As will be explained later, the inner and outer endless chains III), I I6 are energized by powerful springs I62 (Figs. 2 and 3) to enable said chains, when released b moving a pawl I64 (Fig. 4) from a shoulder I66 of a ratchet I58 secured to the shaft I56, to move Sllfi'lClBIltly to move or index one of the clips 30 of cartridges 32 arranged in the magazine just above the transfer station 88 to said station after the previous clip of cartridges has been slid by the yoke-shaped driver 92 into the feed box 34 of the gun 36, the construction and arrangement being such that the ratchet I68 moves half a turn before being stopped by the pawl, as will be hereinafter explained.

The inner pair of chains I IE. to which the rod carrying lugs II I are secured, pass over idler pulleys I69 (Fig. 1) secured respectively to stub shafts I'Ifl rotatably mounted in bearings supported by the side plates 38, 40 of the housing 5. 12, along an arcuate guide I12 (Figs. 3 and 4) of U-shaped cross section secured by screws I14 to the plates, and over driving sprockets I16 (Figs. 1, 3, 5, 9 and 10) secured to opposite; ends of a drive shaft I 18 supported for rotation in bearings mounted in the side plates.

Secured to the drive shaft I18 is a gear I80 (Figs. 2 and 3) driving, through an idler gear I62 rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin I84 carrled by a bearing frame I86, a gear I88 pinned to a shaft I90 (Figs. 1 to 4) rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the side plates 38, 40 of said housing I2. Secured to an end of the shaft I90 outside the side plate 40 is a gear I92. Fixed to a shaft I94 (Figs. 2 and 3) rotatably mounted in bearings of a strut I96 secured to the side plate 40 is a gear I98 which meshes with the gear I 92 and is operatively connected, through an idler gear 2 (Fig. 2) rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin 202 supported by the side plate 40, with a gear 204 secured to the shaft I56. Also secured to the shaft I94 is a sprocket 206 (Figs. 2 and3) upon which is mounted an endless chain 208 which also passes over a sprocket 2I0 rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin 2I2 secured to a boss of the side plate 40. Secured by couplings 2l4 (Fig. 2) to the endless chain 208 is a chain 2I6 which passes over an idler pulley 2I8 mounted upon a pivot pin 220 rotatably supported by said plate 40, and around a pulley 222 rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin 224 carried by a header 226, the end of the chain being secured to a spring housing 228 screwed to the side plate 40. Secured to the rear end of the housing 228 is a rear header 230 having attached toit the rear ends of the springs I 62 the forward ends of which are attached to the header 226.

The drive shaft I56 may be rotated to fill the housing or magazine 12 with clips 30 of cartridges 32 by a crank 232 (Fig. 2) which has a worm 236 formed integral with it and which is rotatably supported upon a rod 234 and upon a sleeve 235 loosely mounted upon the rod which is fixed to a boss of the side plate 40. Enclosed in a bore 238 of the crank 232 and surrounding a portion of the rod 234 is a spring 240 the rear end of which engages the crank and the forward end of which engages the sleeve 235 which is continuously forced by said spring against a thrust bearing 242 mounted upon the rod. When the crank 232 is slid forward along the rod 234 and is rotated clockwise, as viewed from the rear, upon said rod 234 against the action of the spring 240. it meshes with a gear 246 fixed to the outer end of the drive shaft I56 and moves forward on the rod until the worm 236 engages the thrust bearing 242, further rotation of the crank in the same direction causing, through mechanism above described, rotation of the drive shaft I56 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2), thus effecting rotation of the inner and outer pairs of chains H0, H6 in directions indicated by arrows 246 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) against the action of the spring-loaded chain 2I6. When, during the loading of the clips 30 of cartridges 32 into the housing or magazine I2, the crank 232 is released, the worm 236 serves as a lock for pre venting rotation of the gear 246 in an opposite direction under the action of the spring-loaded chain 2 I 6.

It will be noted that the two shoulders I66 (Fig. 4) of the ratchet I68 are spaced 180 apart and that when the opposite bars I06, I08 and the rods II2, which together constitute a supporting which is rotatably mounted upon a shaft :50

(Figs. 1 and 4) serving as a fulcrum pin for one. of the idler gears I 52, is in engagement with the lower of the two shoulders I66, as shown in Fig. 4. The pawl has a rearward extension 252 (Fig. 4) which is constantly urged counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, by a spring 254 which fits in a socket of said extension and has its upper end fitting in a socket of an arm 256 secured to the shaft 250, a retaining screw 258 carried by the arm 256 serving to keep the spring in said sockets. As the crank 232 is rotated clockwise, as

viewed from the rear, to rotate the ratchet I68.

counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4, the pawl I64 will be depressed against the action of the spring 254 as the outer surface of the ratchet I68 slides along the pawl and, under the action of the spring 254, drops past one of the shoulders I66 of the pawl as the next supporting unit for receiving clip 30 of cartridges 32 arrives at the transfer station 88. As will appear later, when the housing or magazine I2 is being filled, the

arm 256 is held fixed. It will be noted that the transfer station 88 is also the place where the clips 30 of cartridges 32 are manually fed'sucand swinging'said carrier intoa lowered .position, shown in Fig. 10, the'gunner presents the,

clips 30 of cartridges 3-2 manually to the machine through the use of. mechanism which will now be described. As will .be explained later,

it is the purpose of means mounted upon and 1 movable with the carrier 260 to depress the vertical 'rod 266 when a clip of cartridges arrives at the transfer station 88, thereby actuating, by mechanism hereinafter described, the yokeshaped driver 92 to enable it to move the clips of cartridges at said station into the feed box 34 of the gun 36 and then to cause the pairs of spring-energized chains H0, H6, which together with the bars I06, I06 and the rods II2 form a conveyor for the clips of cartridges, t be operated to deliver the next successive clip of cartridges to said transfer station and to energize the driver for the next cartridge feeding operation.

vThe rod 266 has a lower end 268 (Fig. 5) which is straddled by a clasp 210 (Figs. 1 and 5) of L l-shaped cross section, the clasp being pivoted upon a pin 212 carried by the lower end 268 of the rod. The clasp 210- has a recess which together with an opposing recess in the-"lower end 268 of the rod 266 forms a sphericalrecess 214 for receiving a ball 216 (Figs. 5, 7. 9'and 10) forming the outer end of a pin 218 (Fig. '7)"se-- I cured in a bore of a boss 280 of the carrier 260.4;

A spring 282 fitting in opposing recesses of the lower'end 268.015 the rod266and-clasp'210 nor-' mally operatively connects the carrier 260 to the rod in order that downward'swinging movement of. said carrier by the action of the clips of carare in the transfer station 88, the pawl I64,

Fulcrumedupon the pin 218 andupon a pin 3 284 (Fig. secured to a boss 286 of the carrier 260 is at detecting plate or feeler 283 (Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, '7, 9 and 10) having a straight upper edge 2% constructed and arranged to be engaged by cartridges in the clips moved from the magazine 72 to the transfer station 88. Upon being engaged by said clips of cartridges the detecting plate 288 is depressed slightl against the action of mechanism hereinafter described, causing the carrier 269 to pivot slightly counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5, about the pins 262. When the machine or feeder is feeding clips of cartridges to the gun, the detecting plate 288 is held vertically positioned, as shown in Figs. 5 and '7, by an arcuate lug 292 which is secured to the plate and is provided with a recess 294 (Figs. 4, 5, 9 and 10) in which the rod normall registers to hold the plate in its operative position, shown in Figs. 5 and '7.

Clips of cartridges are supplied manually to the machine from beneath and to the rear of the transfer station 83 through an opening 295 (Figs. 9 and 10), the carrier 2% having been swung about the fulcrum pins 262 against a stop 295 forming part of the base 42. Before lowering the carrier 26! it is first necessar to disconnect the ball 2'56 from the rod 268 by swinging the clasp 2'52 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5, against the action of the spring 282. and shifting the rod laterally away from the ball 276. In order to preserve the timing between the various parts of the machine, as will appear later, it is desirable to retain the red 5 stationary while the magazine 12 is being filled with clips of cartridges and accordingly there is secured to a lug 22'! (Figs. 4, 5 and 7) screwed to the side plate 38, a hall 2% (Fig. '7) arranged in receptive adjacency to the spherical recess 21 2. so that the clasp 215 can clamp the rod to the ball 25% after said rod has been disconnected from the ball 216.

Slidingly mounted in alined bores of depending bosses 32* (Figs, 5, '7, 9 and 10), 302 of the carrier 25E; is a rod 394 which is normally urged rearward, that is to the left as viewed in Fig. 10, by a spring 356 the front end of which engages the boss and the rear end of which engages a collar 308 pinned to the rod. Secured to the rear end of the rod 39 is a platform 3H9 having a flat face engaging the underside of the carrier 2% and having an upstanding flange provided with recesses 3l2 (Fig. '7) having substantially the same curvature as the cases l2!) of the cartridges 32. In order to fill the magazine 12 with clips of cartridges, the operator manually moves said clips successively forward and upward through the opening 2% (Figs. 9 and 10) to the position shown in Fig. 9, the projectiles I25. of the cartridges extending between the rods H2 of adjacent lugs H4 and the cartridge cases 29 lying in the recesses 3H2 and upon the then turned-down plate 288 with the rims I53 of said cases resting against the platform 3m. At this time, one of the channeled hars IE5 of the chain Mil is stopped in the position shown in Fig. 9, an associated channeled bar Q08 being swung back out of alinement with the bar N36. The carrier 26!] will then be manually swung clockwise as viewed in Fig. 9. together with the platform 399, until the rims iii! of the cartridge cases l2!) engage the channel I22 of the bar I05. The platform 3H? is then permitted to drop to its lowered position and the clip of cartridges is manually held elevated, the crank 232 thereafter being rotated clockwise, as viewed from the rear of the machine, to swing the following channeled bar IE8 past the position shown in Fig. 10 so that its channel i22a engages the lips of the cartridge cases to support the cartridges, the clip of cartridges during this time being manually supported by and moved along with the chains. As the crank 232 is rotated as above described, the rods H2 will be raised into engagement with the projectiles of the cartridges of the clip and will cooperate with the bars l 36, M8 in moving the clip of cartridges to the transfer position. The above procedure is repeated until the magazine '12 has been filled with clips of cartridges and there is one clip of cartridges at the transfer station 88.

Formed in bosses 31! (Figs. 3, 5, 9 and 10) secured to opposite ends of a rod 3 I 3 rotatably supported upon the bracket 264 are recesses 3 M (Fig. 5) constructed and arranged to receive plungers 3H) which, together with a header 318 secured thereto, form a buffer with which the projectiles of the cartridges engage as the cartridges are moved successively to the transfer station 88, each of the plungers being normally held in a raised position, in which a nut 32!] secured to it is forced against the bottom of the bracket, by a spring 322. Each of the bosses 3!! is normally held in its upright operative position, shown in Fig. 5, by a coil spring 323 (Fig. 3) the inner end of which is fixed to a collar 325 pinned to the rod 3l3 and the outer end of which is fixed to the bracket 264. It will be apparent that the bosses 3 together with the header H8 will readily yield to positions shown in Fig. 9 when the maga nine "12 is being filled with clips of cartridges.

As the clips of cartridges from the housing 12 are moved to the transfer station 83 (Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7), they depress the registering plate 288 and the buffer header 3E8 slightly, causing the rod 266 to release the yoke-shaped driver 92, which' at that time is sprin energized and cocked, to effect transfer of said clips of cartridges to the feed box 34 of the gun 36.

When the magazine or housing 72 has received twenty clips of cartridges, it is filled to capacity. In order to prepare the gun 35 for automatic fire and the feeder for automatic feed, it is necessary to place a clip of cartridges in the then empty transfer station 88 and to move said clip, through mechanism hereinafter described, into such a position that the hole 82 (Fig. '7) of the leading plate M is in registration with the pawl 84 of the feed slide 86 of the gun. A look frame (not shown) of the gun is then moved back to its retracted position by actuating an operating lever not shown) of the gun, after which an operating 1 handle 32 (Fig. 2) is actuated to cause a slide 326, together with associated elements of the gun, to chamber the leading round of the clip in order that the gun may be fired when a trigger 32'! is pulled. Thereafter, the rounds will be auto' matically fed into the gun, the clips of cartridges moving to the transfer station and being fed, through mechanism hereinafter described, into the feed box of the gun.

In order to guide clips of cartridges to suitable positions below the feed pawl 84, the guide 19 is provided with a guideway or ways 330 (Figs. 7

and 11) for receiving the plates 14 of said clips,

said guide being secured by screws 332 (Fig. 5) to the plate 48. In order to insure that the clips in which the cartridges are assembled shall be effectively fed into the ways 330, the guide is provided with a ramp 334 (Figs. 3, 6, 'T- and 11), which is pivoted upon a pair of trunnions 336 mounted upon the guide 10 and has the .upper,

9 end of its ways 3.35 (Figs. 7 and 11) in abutting relation with the ways 330 so that the plates 14 of the clip in which the cartridges are assembled can be eiiectively moved up the ways 33,5 of the ramp 334 and along the ways 33B of the guide. The common axis of the trunnions 336 extends transversely of the ways 330, 334 and lies in close proximity to the abuttin ends of the ways, it has been found that there is sometimes a slight vertical vibration of the clips of cartridges as they are being transferred to the feed box 34 and ac.- cordingly it is desirable to provide the ramp 334 with a face 338 which is inclined to the Ways 335 and is constructed and arranged to be enga ed by the leading plate 14 of the clip to swing the ramp upwardly slightly so as substantially to aline the ways 335 of said ramp with the ways 330 of the uide 10. The ramp 334 is normally held in its downward tilted position, shown in Figs. :3 and 11, by a spring-pressed plunger 340 (Fig. 3) which engages a shoulder 342 of the ramp, downward movement of said ramp being limited by engagement of an extension of the ramp with the plunger. As the clips of cartridges are moved toward the feed box 34 of the gun 36, the leading plate 14 of each of the clips in which the cartridges are assembled engages the face 338 of the ramp 334, causing said ramp to swing clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 3, '7 and 11, the ways 335 of the ramp being moved into approximate alinement with the ways 33!] of the guide 10, as shown in Fig. 7,

so that the cartridges may be effectively moved into the feed box of the gun.

When the magazine or housing 12 is filled to capacity, the powerful springs H52 are almost fully {v The mechanism for automatically moving they,

clips 38 of cartridges 32 successively to the feed box 34 of the gun 3.8 will now be described. The yoke-shaped driver 92 is constantl urged to its retracted or starting position approximately as shown in Fig. 4 by a coil springv 344 (Fig. 4). one

end of which fits in a recess of a lug 345 (Figs. 1

and 4) secured to the side plate .38 and. the opposite end of which fits in a recess'of the driver. The driver 92 is operated to slide the .clips of cartridges mounted upon the bars 186,108 and the rods H2 into the feed box 34 of the gun 35,

by a powerful spring 348 (Figs. 1, 4 and 8) one end of which is attached to the driver and the other end of which passes through a hole in a plate 352. The plate 352 has a hooked portion 350 and forms part of a toothed driven member 354 of a clutch 355. Interposed between the driven member 354 of the clutch 356 and the driver 92 is a stepped sleeve 358 (Fig. 8) which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 94 and, if

desirable, may be formed integral with said driven member.

The clutch 353 also comprises a slidable toothed driving member 350 (Figs. 1, 4 and 8) which is movable longitudinally along a sleeve 359 (Fig.

8) of a coupling 36! into driving relation with the toothed driven member 354 of th clutch. Enclosed in a recess 36; of the driven member 354 of the clutch 356 is a spring 364 the left end of which engages the driving member jfifl -.of the 10 clutch, The sprin wh p mitted, mo s sa dr vi member 5. of the lutch .5; to the le t, a wed in 8, a o gu de s. 345 of a arn. 36 w ich is se u ed to the sl e 9 an to the shaft 94 y a screw 369, to d n a e th driving and driven members of the clutch. Ini-' tial load n of he spr ng 3. .8 is main ined by a tach n the forward end of the loaded sprin t the d ver 9 as above explaine and by aush s t h oked portion 5.0 of the plat 35. to b forced against a stud 3' of the driver except durins u h ime as h pring i further ener ized, a will appea ate when the driving member 360 of the clutch .355is outer driving relation with the driven member 35 of. the clutch, the spring 348 is in effect inially ensioned between diiierent parts of the d iver- When the pawl I64 is moved u of en agement with the shoulder i515 of the ratchet I 5.8,.the nner and out r pairs of chains H5, H5. repe ivelv, acted upon b the h avy oil spr n I52, move the leading radiall arranged eliprof car ridg s i the ma az n 12 to the ransfer st tion 88- As the clips of cart id s rriv a th r nsfer station. said .cartrida s, as-ah v explained, p e s the detect n plate 88 whiohi operatively con ted t th rod 24 causing ai rod o. b m ved. downward Threaded nt the pp r end oi th rod a ten secur d th reto by al ok nut 36.6. Fi is a threaded d 35. carr ing a scr w 3 .1.! which pas es. th u h anelon ated recess of an ar 31 sec red to a rod 31 ver ically l d ble. i a i ed bores .oi bo ses f .a bracke see screw t hes B p ate 38 of the ma h n Fittin i h ri on al bore. at th pper end o the wer :.3. -0 ;is. a in 3 upo hiohi iu limed a latch nd arm 13.36 pe at v ly conne ed. throu f a p nand-link ne ti .3 o a e e 9 w chis pinned t the pawl y n h iat 2.5.

T e leve fl is con tantly ur d ckw s as view ed in Figs. 1 and 4, by e. relatively powern s n 4. mi-thehdlw lever 39.2 i c nstant y ed coun o ise. a we i 1 ndfi, a re t v ly ea spring 40. Rot ta-lo y moun ed one. and s cur t t e sha 50 arethe a mrlil .ihe re r hs 256 of the pawl I64, respectively, through elongated openings :Qf which passes the screw 258, said ext n on. a za ov i hn a d be perate y he m th oushi he-sprihe 4254- S ur d; vup nthe driv sh 55.6 iesii 2 and 4 u ide t e side. late-38 s ahel lg a 4. 6 hi h me h s with helical sea mo nted pon theshait 3.4. se u ed byth c w1 6 (Fig- 8-) to th .34 sh o lin .3 ic

is formed integral yvith the sleeve 358 and in w ich ar .sl e s r n -p e *p nse 1 (FigSgfi-andB) constructed and arranged toengage channels 412 which are-formed in the outer It. w ll thus be clear that.

angles and inclined at low angles respectively to the rear face of the helical gear 406 and that the ends of the plungers 4l0 are of complemental shape, the construction and arrangement being such that clockwise rotation of the helical gear 406 upon clockwise movement of the helical gear 404, as viewed in Fig. 4, will cause a corresponding rotation of the shaft 94, but counterclockwise rotation of the helical gear 406 uopn counterclockwise movement of the helical gear 404 will cause the plungers M to ride out of the channels 412 with the result that the shaft remains stationary, for reasons which will hereinafter appear.

The cam 36'! has formed on it four ratchet faces 409 (Fig. 4) spaced 90 apart which cooperate with a spring-pressed pawl 4 (Figs. 4 and 8) to prevent counterclockwise movement of the coupling 36! (Fig. 8) and the shaft 94, the arrangement being such that one of the ratchet faces is in engagement with the pawl as the clip of cartridges is being delivered to the transfer station 88.

As above explained, the driving member 360 of the clutch 356 is slidable lengthwise upon the sleeve 359 in the guideways 365 of the cam 36'! which has a front operating face M6. The driving member 388 of the clutch 356 is constantly urged to the left (Fig. 8) to a non-driving position by the spring 364 but is moved at predetermined times into driving relation with the driven member 354 of the clutch by a bifurcated lever 4H3 (Figs. 1, 4 and 8) which is rotatably mounted upon a fulcrum pin 420 threaded into the side plate 38 and having an arm which normally engages a face 422 (Fig. 8) of a cam 424. The cam 424 is constantly urged to an operative position, shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 8, about a fulcrum pin 426 carried by the driver 92 by a spring 428 opposite ends of which fit in recesses of the cam= and the driver, respectively. The rear face of the cam 424 is provided with a notch 430, counterclockwise movement of the cam as viewed in Figs. 1, 4 and 8, under the action of the spring 428 being limited by the engagement of the cam with a shoulder of the driver. When the clutch actuating lever 4i8 engages the upper surface 422 of the cam, bifurcations 432 (Fig. 8) of said lever engage a face 434 of the driving member 360 of the clutch 356 and accordingly force teeth of said driving member into driving engagement with teeth of the driven member of the clutch.

As above explained, the initially loaded spring 348 is energized as each clip of cartridges is moved from the loading station in the magazine 12 to the transfer station 88 by rotating the driven member 354 of the clutch 356 through mechanism above described, the driver 92 at such time being held by the latch plate 384 in its retracted position.

Assuming that a clip 30 of cartridges 32 has just moved to the transfer station 88, the detecting plate 288 will have been depressed by the cartridges, causing the latch plate 384 (Fig. 4), which heretofore has been in front of an abutment face 436 of the driver 92, to be lowered, with the result that the driver moves the clips in which the cartridges mounted upon the bars I86, M8 and upon the rods H2 are assembled into the ways 338 of the guide 10 secured to the feed box against the previous clip which has partially passed through the feed box of the gun but still has two cartridges left in it. At the start of the cartridge transferring movement of the driver the teeth of the driving and driven mem- 12 bers 360, 354, respectively, of the clutch 358 are in meshing relation, the stud 31! of the driver 92 being spaced slightly from the hooked portion 350 of the plate 352 of the driven clutch member 354.

When the clip 30 of cartridges 32 being transferred to the feed box 34 of the gun 30 has moved away from the detecting plate 288, said plate will rise under the action of the spring 403. At approximately the same time the cam 424 on the driver 92 will move away from the clutch operating lever 418, thereby permitting said lever to swing clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 8, with the result that the clutch spring 364 causes the teeth of the slidable driving member 330 of the clutch 356 to move out of engagement with the teeth of the driven member 354 of the clutch. When this occurs, the hooked portion 350 of the plate 352 of the driven member 354 will be in approximate engagement with the stud 31! of the driver and after disengagement of the clutch will be forced by the spring against said hooked portion.

The driver 92, together with the driven member 354 of the clutch 356 and the spring 348, will then swing back as a unit to retracted position under the action of the spring 344. When the clip 38 of cartridges 32 is moved from the transfer station 83 into the feed box 34 of the gun 38, the detecting plate 288, as above stated, rises, causing upward movement of the rod 266 and accord-- ingly permitting the latch plate 384 to be raised by the action of the spring 386 to a 10ckingposition behind the abutment face 436 of the driver 92 and breaking the toggle formed by the arm 395 and the pin-and-link connection 398, and thus, through mechanism previously described, moving the pawl I64 away from theratchet shoulder !65 with which it engages. 'As soon'as the pawl E84 hasmov'ed away from the shoulder I86, the pairs of chains I10, H6 begin to rotate under the action of the springs J62, causing an adjacent clip of cartridges in the magazine 12' tobe delivered to the transfer station 88 and also causing the ratchet l 68, which is geared for rotation in timed relation with the chains, to rotate clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4. Rotation of the shaft I53 to which the ratchet I68 is secured causes the helical gear 406, and accordingly the shaft 94 together with the driving member 360 of the clutch 356, to move clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, the cou-- pling 36! during such movement being in driving relation with the shaft 94.

As the driver 92 moves back to its retracted position in which the abutment face 436 of the driver is locked behind the latch plate 384, the clutch actuating lever 4| 8 is arranged in the notch 438 of the cam 434. As the cam 357! rotates clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4, its face 458 (Fig. 8) engages the bifurcated portion 432 of the actuating lever 4I8, causing said lever to swing counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 8, back to its position shown in Fig. 8, thus causing the teeth of the driving and driven members 388, 354 of the clutch 356 to be in meshing relation, after which the cam 35! continues to rotate about 20, to energize the spring 348, and then comes to rest. During the energizing of the spring 348, the hooked portion 350 of the member 354 of the clutch 356 is moved away from the stud3'dl on the driver 92.

The stopping of the movement of the chains I [0, H6, and accordingly the clips of cartridges in the magazine 12 and at the transfer station 88, as well as movement of the driving and driven members 3.60, 354 of the clutch 3.56, is efiected when the following shoulder 166 of the ratchet I68 engages the pawl I64, said pawl always being swung into a position to be engaged by the succeeding shoulder by the straightening out of the toggle due to the depression of the rod 266 actuated by the downward movement of the detecting plate 288 under the weight of the clip of cartridges arriving at the transfer station 88.

By providing a yielding drive between the rearward extending portion 252 of the pawl [64 and the rearward extending arm 256 secured to the shaft 256, it will be apparent that the pawl will swing clockwise upon counterclockwise movement of the ratchet I68, during the filling of the magazine 12 with clips of cartridges, Without moving the shaft 256 which at such time is held against any substantial movement by reason of the fact that the vertical rod 266 is secured to the ball 298 mounted on the lug 291. Moreover, during the filling of the housing 12 with clips of cartridges, it will be understood that counterclockwise rotation of the spiral gear 406, as viewed in Fig. 4, will not effect counterclockwise movement of the shaft 94 which is held against such movement by the pawl 4H, the plungers MB of the coupling 46| being constructed and arranged to ride out of the channels M2 in the rear face of the gear 406 during counterclockwise movement of said gear.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for feeding ammunition to automatic guns, clips in which cartridges are assembled, a driver for moving said clips of cartridges delivered to a transfer station into a feed box of a gun, a rotatable driven member of a clutch, a coil spring one end of which is attached to the driver and the other end of which is attached to said driven member of the clutch, means for locking the driver in a retracted position from which it moves to force said clip of cartridges arranged at the transfer station into said feed box, means for rotating the driven member of the clutch to energize said spring while the driver is held in its retracted position, means responsive to movement of the clips of cartridges to the transfer station for releasing said locking means to cause the driver to operate, means responsive to movement of the driver for causing the driven clutch member to be released from a driving clutch member when the driver has completed its driving movement, said driven clutch member when released being held by the driver against rotation under the action of the spring to insure that the spring retains a residual tension, means for moving the driver together with the driven clutch member and the spring as a unit back to retracted position, and means responsive to movement of the clips of cartridges to said transfer station for causing said driving clutch member to be thrown into driving relation with the driven clutch member thereby causing the driven clutch member to be rotated with relation to the driver additionally to energize the spring.

2. In a machine for feeding ammunition to automatic guns, clips in which cartridges are assembled, means for successively moving said clips of cartridges to a transfer station adjacent to a feed box of a gun, a movable detecting member constructed and arranged to be engaged by the clips of cartridges as they arrive at said transfer station, a spring-energized driver for fig successively feeding the clipsof cartridges at the transfer station into said feed box, a latch for main a g :the driver in a cocked position, cli

guiding means comprising a guide fixed tothe feed box of the gun and constructed and arranged to receive clips in which the cartridges are assembled, and means responsive to movement of said detecting member for releasing the latch to c'ause the driver to move said clips in which :the cartridges are assembled andwhich are then at said station into said guide, said clip guiding means comprising a pivotally mounted ramp which is constructed and arranged to be deflected by the clips in which the cartridges are assembled as they are moved toward said guide in order to facilitate moving said clips into said guide.

3. In a machine for feeding ammunition to automatic guns, clips in which cartridges are assembled, a driver comprising a lever which is mounted for pivotal movement and has pivotally connected to it arms provided with arcuate portions constructed and arranged successively to engage said clips of cartridges arranged at a transfer station positioned adjacent to a feed box of a gun, a relatively weak spring for constantly urging the driver to a retracted position from which it is moved to force the clips of cartridges at said station into the feed box, a latch for maintaining the driver in its retracted position, means for tripping the latch, a relatively powerful spring for causing the driver to feed the clips of cartridges into the feed box when the latch is tripped, and means responsive to movement of the driver for causing said powerful spring to be moved as a unit together with the driver during the retractive movement of the driver and for causing the powerful spring to be moved with relation to the driver after the driver has been retracted, thereby re-energizing said spring.

4.'In a machine for feeding ammunition to automatic guns, clips in which cartridges are assembled, a spring, a driver which is actuated by said spring for moving said clipsof cartridges at a transfer station into a feed box of a gun, means for successively moving clips of cartridges to said transfer station, a feeler for registering the arrival of said clips of cartridges at said station,

a latch for holding the driver in a cooked .posi- 5. In a machine for feeding ammunition to automatic guns, clips in which cartridges are assembled, a driver for moving said clips of 1' cartridges from a transfer station located adjacent to a feed box of a gun into said feed box, an initially loaded spring for operating said driver, a clutch comprising driving and driven Q members, said spring being operatively connected to the driver and to the driven member of the clutch, a feeler. for detecting the arrival of the clips of cartridges at the transfer station and the departure of the clips of cartridges from said station, power-operated means operatively connected to the driving member of the clutch, means responsive to movement of the feeler for starting and stopping said power-operated means,

and means operative in timed relation with said '15 i6 power-operated means for eausing the driving UNITED STATES PATENTS member of the clutch to be thrown in and. out of N b N driving relation with the driven member of the S 2E g clutch. n

1,343,444 Formby June 15, 1920 fig g 5 2,364,510 Bertram et a1 Dec. 5, 1944 E S S C 2,401,654 Molins et a1 June 4, 1946 REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS The following references are of record in the Number Country Date file this patent 10 288,976 Germany June 1 1920 

